Sahibzada Sultan Mohammad Ali: A shining star in the world of jeep rally racing in Pakistan

Sahibzada Sultan Mohammad Ali is an emerging star in the world of jeep rally racing in Pakistan.

The people of Pakistan were not even aware of the sport until it was first introduced in the 1990s and even after that it never gained the same popularity as other sports such as cricket or football. As time passed, Mir Nadir Magsi became a pioneer and dominated the sport by easily defeating every single competitor who stood before him in 20 years.

In 2015, Sahibzada Sultan Mohammad Ali stepped into the ring and won the prestigious Jhal Magsi, Cholistan and Gwadar championships the same year.

The drivers were aiming to improve from C category to B category during those years but Sahibzada Sultan created history by winning all A category titles in the same year.

It seems as if he has overtaken Magsi as the main contender in the sport.

He will defend his title in the Gwadar Jeep Rally championship. If he manages to win this year’s rally, it will be his third consecutive title.

His determination to win speaks for itself. During last year’s championship, his tyre blew four kilometres away from the finish line but he still managed to finish the race. He created history by becoming the first driver in Pakistan to finish a rally on three tyres. He clinched second place in the tournament.

In interviews, Sahibzada Sultan has said that that he wants to promote Pakistan’s countryside through the sport.

His presence in jeep rally racing has sparked a new interest in the sport and the mainstream media has started to give it more coverage. However, live telecasts of the sport aren’t available yet.

Sahibzada Sultan’s team took a revolutionary step by introducing Pakistan’s first ever off-road racing game.

All off-road tracks in Pakistan have been included in the game and players can take on the roles of leading racers of the country.

How does the sport work?

There are two categories in the sport — Stock and Prepared. Vehicles in the Stock category are used in their original conditions. The engine of the car is replaced with a much heavier one for the Prepared category.

The race starts with a qualifying round and drivers have to complete a lap as fast as they can.

There is an assistant with each driver who acts as a navigator. The racers can also use GPS, Google Maps and satellite imaging. The check-in and check-out time of each racer is recorded, which eliminates chances of cheating.

A roll-cage is made inside the vehicle for driver’s safety. This way, the racer cannot sustain head injuries. The competitors also have to wear helmets and fire-proof clothing.

The racer and the navigator use a Bluetooth system and state-of-the-art Wi-Fi device to communicate with each other.